Just a Dream
by Seven Voices
Summary: [twoshot, yaoi] Soon Orochimaru will take over Sasuke's body and there is nothing more he can do to stall. So what else is there left for him to do but live his dream one more time? SasuNaru.


**Just a Dream**

by Seven Voices

_Authoress' Note_ : I wrote this while listening to the song 'Was It a Dream?' by 30 seconds to Mars so if you've heard the song you'll probably really be able to see it, if not its still good so don't worry I'm just stating that was my inspiration for this.

_Warning_ : shounenai, yaoi

Sasuke stared up at the ceiling of his room, sprawled over his bed and gazing upward as he wondered about where his life had taken him. His hand instinctively reached up to his forehead, disappointment flashing through him for a instant as his fingers touched skin and not the old familiar presence of metal that had been like a second skin to him since graduation from the Academy.

He remembered the surprise he felt when learning that Naruto, his opposite in every way. The dead last of the class that was destined it seemed to repeat school till he died, had indeed become a genin with the rest of them. It had made him curious to say the least especially since he knew Naruto had not passed the regular test with the rest of them. So when they were put into the same cell team it was almost fate that the two would clash. Being so different... yet so alike it seemed.

Sighing, Sasuke rolled over and closed his eyes tiredly. Why did he still think about all that anyway? It had been years since he'd left. Years since Konoha had given up on him and years since he'd last seen the dobe. Who knows what the blond baka was doing now?

The worst part was he couldn't even see his face anymore. The face that he had thought would never leave him had faded it seemed so Sasuke could do little more than feel the dimm light Naruto's memories still gave him. When that disappeared as well Sasuke didn't know what he would do. Holding onto that small amount of light had kept him going you might say.

Still even though Sasuke knew his betrayal was wrong, he felt no guilt. No remorse. Nothing at all. He was a selfish bastard, as simple as that really. And because of that he still wanted what he had left behind even though he knew it was gone forever now from his reach. He wanted everything and could only have one thing so he had chosen the future instead of the past, no matter how shrouded and dark the future was.

Sasuke didn't know how much longer he had left. He had been able to stall Orochimaru taking over his body for the last couple times, always presenting the snake man with another body with a bloodline just as desirable as his sharingan. But the sannin was getting impatient and Sasuke knew soon that he would demand for the sharigan wielder as his next container, even if Sasuke had gotten his revenge or not. Orochimaru was just like him, a selfish bastard. And he would not hold up his end of the bargain if he could help it just like if Sasuke was in his place he would take what he wanted as well.

But still Sasuke couldn't help but postpone the inevitable and use his scattered memories as a buffer from the dark reality he had chosen instead. Sometimes Sasuke even wondered if what he remembered was real. If it wasn't just a dream he had created. Even so, the dream kept him going.

With another sigh he pushed himself up, swinging his legs over the bed to put them on the chilly stone floor that caused a icy grip to run up his leg from where his bare feet came into contact with it. Walking over to the door he made sure it was properly locked before striding back to his bed and reaching under it to jiggle the stone piece on the floor that came loose. This was his hiding place. Where he put stuff he did not want Orochimaru to find. It had a seal on it that only allowed Sasuke to open it, a trick he had learned from a fellow oto nin who was now dead. None of them seemed to last long with the war going on still.

Grasping the paper delicately Sasuke brought it out, fingering the photograph with something akin to gentleness. This was the only thing he had that proved not everything he remember was a dream. The smiling face coming back to him like a reminder as he stared down in sadness. This was all he had left.

It was the team 7 photograph. His eyes glided over the small piece of paper as he took it all in, every detail before glueing his gaze to the one person that he would give everything to see again. Naruto.

A idiotic grin. A tuft of gravity defying hair. A emotion that swam in his drowning cerulean eyes right under the surface that never came up, always hidden. A reminder of a past as shadowed as most ninja twice his age in the form of three scars on each cheek, like a animal. A orange jumpsuit that represented more than the boy's horrible choice in clothing, that symbolized his own brightness even though people continued to hate him for it.

Sasuke had burned the part of the picture that held his own image on it, the pain always too overwhelming when he saw that. How happy he had been even if others might not have seen it, he could tell. But yet he had given it up as if it was nothing. Like he said, a selfish bastard who wanted everything even when that wasn't a choice.

He leaned his head back against the side of the bed, a small smile curling his lips up as he continued to watch the picture. Sasuke had tried many times to destroy this photograph, and each time had been in vain. The need, the desire to keep it was buried too deeply within him and he just coudn't reach down far enough to rip it out. So it remained hidden under his bed, a looming secret that whenever he thought about brought him a happy pain. The kind that tears you apart because you can never truly have it. It was only a dream now.

This was all Sasuke had of them, that proved he once was content and sane and had everything that could have made him happy eventually. But that was all it was, a photograph of what had been, of what could never be again.

Sasuke cursed himself for his own weakness. The one weakness that had refused to be stanched and destroyed. That continued to grow and kept him tied back, unable to advance farther because of its chain around his heart. Angrily he threw it to the floor, muttering a simple fire jutsu under his breath and blowing a soft flame onto the paper. But before the small fire could engulf the entire thing he brought his palm down on top of it, the flickering pain from the burn he just inflicted on himself not even important as he gingerly picked up the charred remainder of the picture. Looking at it Sasuke sighed at his own foolishness, repressing the urge to chuckle at what fate had done to him.

It could have ended right there. All the pain and suffering. He could have thrown it all behind him. But staring up from the blackened paper was still that obnoxiously smiling face with the secrets buried beneath that Sasuke could never quite figure out.

A knock split through the silence of his room and Sasuke put the small fragment of a picture back in its hiding place, before stepping over to let whoever it was into his room.

Kabuto strolled in, a frown on his face at having to wait for the Uchiha to let him in. "Orochimaru requests to see you... don't be late." With that said he left, a glint of light shining off of his glasses from the candlelight that made the man seem even more dangerous and deadly. Sasuke fought down the shiver that threatened to rise as he thought of what Kabuto had done to some of the prisoners Orochimaru acquired. Drowning or burning alive would have been merciful in comparison.

Sasuke straightened himself, holding his head high as he walked down the familiar corridors toward where the snake man's chambers were. Knocking on the door he heard the command to come in before opening it with a bit of hesitancy. He didn't know what to expect from the sannin and that made him cautious.

"Why hello Sasuke-kun, I hope your missions this week have gone smoothly?" Orochimaru said, turning his sinister grin toward the raven haired man who simply grunted a reply. Crossing his arms over his chest to show he wanted to get strait to the point.

"As you know it is going to have been the anniversary that you came here again and since I have given you the expertise to kill your brother it is time you gave me your end of the deal" Orochimaru stated, his slitted eyes sparkling with mirth at his own ingenius reasoning. Noticing the way Sasuke's hand clenched into fists and his jaw tightened and finding it little more than amusing. He would force the Uchiha to become his container if it came to that but he would first give the man the chance to come quietly.

Sasuke knew this day would come. Had known it like a premonition. Thoughts flashing through his mind that he could do little more than think before his mind moved to other things but the one face that still plagued him like a illness was under it all. Rubbing salt into the wound just another thing that he would not be able to do anything about.

Wait maybe he could. Looking back up at the patiently waiting snake nin Sasuke cleared his throat and asked, "can I at least have one night to say goodbye to someone?"

"Now why would I let you leave the village... how will I know you won't simply run away?" Orochimaru asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because I'm telling you I won't" Sasuke answered simply, staring hard at the sannin, watching the man weigh his options. Finally after a silence that seemed would stretch on forever, the snake nin answered, "fine I will let you do this... but if you do try to get out of your end of the deal I will hunt down the person you love dearest and lets just say Kabuto will find him very entertaining indeed."

Surprise flickered over Sasuke's face and the man grinned maniacally, "yes I've known of your secret infatuation since the beginning. I also know he is not in Konoha at the moment but on another training mission... currently camped where you last saw him all those years ago."

Sasuke eyes widened and he didn't even wait for the man to say more but simply turned and left. The sound of the sannin's laughter grating on his nerves but the thought of seeing him one last time pushing the annoyance away. Was all his memories just a dream? He had to know. He had to know the truth of it all. So at least he could leave his thoughts and feelings to rest.

_**love may last forever but the people who love will never last**_

Naruto looked at the streaming waterfall right below him, his feet planted firmly on a rock that was being beaten by the current but that refused to budge. Standing strong. Memories kept this place alive. Memories of what had been... memories of what could have been as well.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, the scent of the springtime air filling his lungs with life and a crispness that only appeared during this time. Naruto opened his sapphire eyes once again and looked out at the view below, the infamous setting of his and Sasuke's last battle. He could see where the rocks had broke from their fight, the clear shimmering water staring back up at him just like it had back then.

Jiraiya had warned him against coming back saying it could do no more than bring more pain but Naruto didn't listen. This was the final place they had seen each other. And memories no one but them knew had happened here long before even that. Memories that he wasn't sure were even real. A dream perhaps. Nothing more than a dream as he continued to convince himself. But yet the lingering thought that it wasn't kept him going. Continuing to try and rescue the lost Uchiha.

Naruto had changed a lot since then though. He didn't smile as much even though he still did for the sake of others and he had retired his old orange jumpsuit to replace it with black ninja attire. He was a hunter nin now, the only thing that would bring him closest to retrieving Sasuke. Naruto made sure he was on every mission that even had the slightest trace of being connected to him but none turned out to be more than dead ends. Right now he was on a vacation. Not that he wanted one but Tsunade had insisted that he needed to clear his mind and reassured that she would send for him immediately if anything came up causing him to reluctantly agree.

But all he could think of was Sasuke. Even miles from Konoha, the dark teen that he remembered continued to invade his mind. Naruto didn't even know what he would look like now. If he would look more like the Sasuke he remembered or more like his older brother, the serial killer.

Naruto stared down at the water by his feet, the rippled image of himself that shook and quivered looking back. He had changed over the years, his face thinner and harder from his life as a ninja and his blond hair just as bright but a little longer, bangs framing his face in a way that made many people think he was Yondaime's reincarnation. He smiled at that.

But even so he took no pleasure in his looks and often wore his hunter nin fox mask even when not on the job. Naruto didn't like seeing himself, the haunted look in his eyes that he was able to hide from others but not himself.

The sound of a birds call made him look up and blink in surprise. A raven. Its black wings flapped strongly as it rode with the current of the wind, powerful and elegant as it flew through the light blue sky. It called once again before pulling itself into a higher current and changing its coarse of direction, going farther away from the lake till it was but a dot in the horizon.

Naruto gazed sadly at it wishing he could fly like the raven but knowing he was only a fox. Wingless and stuck where he was. He didn't have the power to fly away from everything... not like Sasuke had.

Reaching into his pocket he brought forth the hitai-ate he had kept all these years. The last piece of him that he had left to hold onto. Running a thumb over the slash through the Konoha symbol his heart clenched painfully.

Why did it have end like that? Why hadn't he been strong enough to keep Sasuke here? So many why's and so few answers left for him made Naruto feel exhausted all of a sudden as if his energy was being drained just by thinking of it all.

"Why did you have to leave you selfish bastard?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth, clenching the metal in his fist painfully, the edges of it biting into his palm as a reminder of the pain that he felt every time he thought of it.

With a yell he pulled his hand back and made to throw it away from him for good but at the last second he couldn't do it and with a wry chuckle Naruto pocketed it once again. The familiar weight a ever constant companion just like the promise he had made. Neither would ever leave him. They would never go away.

His eyes welled up, everything around Naruto blurring as tears began to silently flow from his cerulean eyes, so like the lakes depth below that they could have been made from the same substance. They fell down his whiskered cheeks in wet trails, landing in the raging water below to blend with it and flow down the cascading waterfall.

Naruto's memories had kept him going and even if they were just dreams of his imagination Naruto was willing to spend his whole life chasing after the person in them. Because his hope that they were more than dreams, more than imagination kept him searching. Kept him strong.

_**love may last forever but the people who love can never last**_

Sasuke caught his breath as he saw him. He had come as fast as he could, determined to discover the truth before his time ran up. Because he had to know if it all was a dream. He had to know if his memories were real.

But when he saw Naruto for the first time in years, standing tall and strong on a stone at the waterfall while the river pressed against it like a roaring living path of destruction, Sasuke knew. It wasn't a dream. It was real.

The photograph he had kept as the most precious thing in his heart had proven it, tried to show him the truth. The look in their eyes that had been buried beneath like a hidden secret. It had been there all along. The proof that he had needed to know that it was not a dream.

Taking a step forward Sasuke accidentally sent a stone rolling over the edge of the cliff causing Naruto to gasp and look up at him, noticing his silent companion for the first time. "S-Sasuke?"

Tears stained the blond's face but even that did little more than add to the other's beauty. The strong beacon of light that Naruto had been as a teen transforming into this solid real sun. Naruto was invincible, stronger than Sasuke had become, much stronger and just as bright as when they were kids. Sasuke for the first time felt a pang of something in his heart like regret. Regret that he had not been there to share in all the blond's achievements and see him grow into this impenetrable sun.

"W-What are you doing here?" Naruto questioned, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. He watched the silent raven haired man watching him and everything else seemed to flow away just like his tears that had fallen into the river. It was just the two of them once again.

No Orochimaru. No missing nin status. No Konoha. Just them and the dreams. The memories.

"It was all real wasn't it... all the things I thought I had just made up in my mind" Sasuke said, his voice reaching something deep in Naruto that pulled at him like a invisible thread. Looking down at the lake below and then over at the river that had created it, the forest sheltering this quiet eternal scene like a mother hides her children and Naruto knew it was just as the other had said.

"Yes... I suppose it was" Naruto spoke softly, quietly so only Sasuke could hear him. They looked at each other for a moment longer before Sasuke took the first step toward him, chakra keeping him from falling into the raging current beneath him as he walked over the water to Naruto, stopping right in front of him making Naruto gasp in surprise.

"We were in love" Sasuke stated, gazing down at Naruto like he was seeing him for the first time. The look in his obsidian eyes causing Naruto to go weak, just like he had back then.

"Y-Yes" Naruto stammered as Sasuke's face came dangerously close to his own.

"And we made a pack" Sasuke said again, watching the reaction he was getting from the blond by their close proximity and wondering how he could have ever chosen a dark shrouded future when his past was so much brighter.

Again Naruto said yes, eyes taking on a look that said he was thinking back on it too. To the dreams, to the memories. When they had secretly been in love and found this place by accident. There place. The place it began and ended.

"And we promised that we would never forget, even when we knew that we could no longer keep seeing each other" Sasuke said, his breath on Naruto's lips making the blond look into his eyes again. Brought from the memories as he realized that he had Sasuke right here with him again.

Suddenly without warning, something crackled in the sky above and water poured down on them, rain beating against their bodies and creating a pleasant rhythm all around them on the water. Sasuke leaned down, connecting their lips in a flash of heat as they were hidden in the downpour. It was just them and their place. And the dream of them in love.

_Authoress' End Note_ : what do you think? If the dream/memory thing confuses too many people I'll be happy to write a second chapter that says specifically what it was but that is it. (actually I think I might do that, hmmmm) this is just a shot not a long story though. Just want to make that perfectly clear.


End file.
